The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus forming an image in an electrographic manner and a transferring device provided in the image forming apparatus.
Generally, in an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, capable to form an image in an electrographic manner, it is known as a configuration that a toner image formed on an image carrier, such as a photosensitive drum, is transferred onto a sheet, such as a printing paper, conveyed in a state electrostatically attracted onto a conveying belt. In this kind of the image forming apparatus, by electrostatically attracting the sheet onto the conveying belt, improvement of separation property from the image carrier, conveyance stability and transferring performance of the sheet is actualized.
However, in a case where the sheet is conveyed in the state electrostatically attracted onto the conveying belt, if a roller arranged at a separation position where the sheet is separated from the conveying belt is grounded, separation electric discharge may occur when the sheet is separated from the conveying belt and electrostatic adhesion of a toner to the sheet may be weakened. In such a case, until the sheet is conveyed to a fixing device, it is feared that the toner adhered onto the sheet is scattered. In addition, it is feared that the toner on the sheet is not fixed in the fixing device and is electrostatically adhered onto a fixing member, such as a fixing roller, and then, a phenomenon so-called as electrostatic offset causing image failure in the following sheet occurs.